This invention relates to the field of control panels for electronic devices, and specifically to reconfigurable control panels for beverage brewing and dispensing appliances.
Beverage appliances, such as coffee brewers, are electric appliances that perform various functions at certain times. Control of the machines is generally automatic once the machine has been activated by the operator. To allow operation, interaction and control of the appliance, the brewers have a control panel that includes displays such as lights and alpha-numeric panels, as well as buttons and switches to allow the operator to configure, select options, and activate the appliance. In the prior art, such buttons and switches have been mechanical contact switches such as rocker or push button switch that perform a single function.
In some applications, prior art mechanical switches have been replaced by membrane and other low force actuating switches. These switches provide improved aesthetics, options for tactile feel, configuration options, greater durability, sanitation, and allow incorporation in circuit boards. Such switches also work well with digital logic and controllers. Such systems of control allow reconfiguration of the operation of the switches by changing the software, firmware, or other instruction set or programming of the logic or controller.
In this regard, control panels have been developed which incorporate a printed circuit board, ribbon cable connector, and touch switches. These control panels also may include indicators or display devices such as LED or LCD displays. Such control panels may include a protective overlay on the display or over the entire control panel. Alternatively, the display device will be mounted to a machine independent of a control panel, where the control panel may include a transparent window carried on the control panel providing protective cover over the display when the control panel is positioned over the display.
It is also desirable to use one control panel across a range of machines to reduce manufacturing costs and parts inventory. For instance, one machine may require three brewing options and corresponding buttons to select each option; whereas, another model may only have one brewing option and need only one button. Rather than produce and stock in inventory two panels, savings are realized by producing one panel, with three switches, but deactivating two of the switches for use in the single option machine. This arrangement can be augmented by the use of different faceplates that are configured with different options.
Such reconfigurable control panels may also be advantageous when used with the same machine. A single machine may be capable of different configurations, such as a machine that brews both coffee and tea or a machine that brews different recipes of coffee. A reconfigurable panel will contain all of the buttons needed for operation of either configuration. A removable faceplate or overlay will present to the user only buttons needed for a particular configuration, such as a coffee brewer. Portions of the overlay that are placed over buttons that should be inactive, are blanked out so that the presence of the underlying buttons on the control panel is not readily apparent to the user. Since the control panel is a more expensive component to design and produce, it would be advantageous to produce a single type. This reduces the number and variations in the board and increases the numbers of boards which are produced. An increase in the numbers may produce a reduction in cost due to the economies of scale.
The face plates are relatively inexpensive to manufacture, generally through a printing process, and a variety of faceplates can be produced. Additionally, faceplates can be customized for particular customers. For example, a customer may wish to place their name or specific color combinations or control configurations on the faceplate. As long as the control figurations correspond to the switch locations on the control panel, any variety can be produced.
In order for the machine to recognize which faceplate or overlay is being used, and hence what configuration the control panel should take, the control panel and faceplate may communicate with each other, such communication may be by physical interaction, such as a contact switch on the panel being activated by the placement of the overlay for one configuration, and the faceplate for the second configuration having a notch or operative so that the contact switch is not activated, thus telling the machine to configure for the second configuration.
Similarly, magnets with RFID tags could be placed on the faceplate or overlay and reed switches, sensors, or other devices to sense the presence of the magnets, RFID tags, or overlay itself could be placed on the control panel to determine which faceplate is present, and hence, which configuration the machine should operate in.
The exemplification set out herein illustrates embodiments of the disclosure that is not to be construed as limiting the scope of the disclosure in any manner. Additional features of the present disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the disclosure as presently perceived.